About The Karuna Project

The Karuna Project is a project by seniors from Mount Madonna School as part of the Values in World Thought Program. The students are on a learning journey to India from March 25 to April 9, 2017.

Karuna means 'compassion' or 'compassionate action' and embodies what we strive to bring with us on our adventure.

In India we will be visiting a number of amazing programs, schools, and organizations that help support communities and people throughout different regions in India. Our class has been hard at work collecting clothes, raising money, and planning to be able to bring donations with us.

KARUNA SCHEDULE:

Saturday March 25th:
Departure from California

Sunday March 26th:
Travel

Monday March 27th:
Arrival in India
Old Delhi: Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat

Tuesday March 28th:
Travel to Anupshahr
Pardada Pardadi School and Education Society

Wednesday March 29th:
Pardada Pardadi School and Education Society
Return to Delhi

On our first day after lunch, we passed a snake charmer on the street. I instantly thought back to my good friend Sage telling me about his experience with a snake charmer when he went to India. I knew I had to follow in his footsteps, and I sat myself next to the old man holding two grass-woven jars. The snake charmer took out a long, blond snake that hissed aggressively toward the man. However, the snake charmer wrapped his hand around the serpent with no fear at all, and set the snake on my shoulder where it stretched itself around my neck and arm. The snake charmer began to play his melody that enchanted the snake, and commanded it to coil around me as if ready to strike. This alone was mesmerizing enough, my heart raced with both excitement and fear. Then the snake charmer revealed the beast hidden within his second grass-woven jar, a cobra. A single blink at this creature intimidated everyone within its presence. It extended towards the sky, and bared the markings on its chest. Unfazed, the snake charmer then set the cobra on my lap, and continued his magic tune. The king of all snakes was now resting itself on my lap and power radiated of its scaly body as if it were a god. Markings used to stun prey with unmatched fear were now pointed at me and the other snake around my body, which attempted to flee behind me. Natural selection was the only true law now, and the beast before us carried deadly venom that could stop a heart in a beat. But as the cobra began to coil, the commanding tune from the snake charmer took over, and both snakes were now at ease. Fear turned into stillness within a few exhales of a flute; the sheer power of the snake charmer was now unquestionable. Soon the snakes had finished their dazzling display and descended back into the grass-woven jars, and into the snake charmer’s possession. The feeling of staring into a globally feared predator was unlike any other. This experience will stay with me for the rest of my life, and my adventures through India.